An Editorial: Break the Habit, Support Local Music

– By Michal Elizabeth Smith –

We have a rotten habit of neglecting local music. The variety of music available to us is limitless, yet we only accept what new and popular music is thrown at us by commercial means. Rarely do people actively search for artists on their own anymore. The local music scene is a cornucopia of talent and variety, and as patrons we should commit to supporting it. While there might be a handful of local artists that come off as unapproachable, many remember to make an effort and thank each person who cared enough to come out and watch their performance.

The only acceptable excuse for not being able to support local music is living 100 miles away from civilization. Dallas, Houston, Austin, Denton and San Antonio are crawling with local artists itching to have their music heard. We can take it even further to include college towns like Waco or College Station. This is applicable to everyone because wherever you are; there is always a local coffee shop, bar, club, street corner or porch claimed by an artist who would appreciate your support.

We all have dreams of meeting our favorite bands. In my daydreams Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine is my best friend and we spend our days shopping at thrift stores. The great thing about the local music scene is that artists are easily accessible, and will answer almost any question you have. The venues where local artists perform are also more intimate, allowing for friendships to form between fans, and in many cases the artist.

It’s okay to like the chart toppers; they produce some catchy hits—I blast Katy Perry’s Prism on a weekly basis without shame—but we should support artists at all levels, because music is what keeps us going. Regardless of which city you live in; we don’t give local artists enough credit, and it’s about time they get some. Instead of spending an unholy amount of money on a show at an “American Airlines Center” near you, devote a night or two each week to discovering a local artist; it just might surprise you.